Truss-brace for fences.



E. F. MBNEIL.

TRUSS BRAOE FOB FENCES.

. (Application filed Nov. 7, 1900 No. 668,452. Patented Feb. l9, I90ll.v

(No Model.)

lUrvTTnn fiTaTns PATENT rricn.

EDWARD F. MONEIL, OF WILLIAMSBURG, IOWA.

TRUSS RACE FOR FENGES.

SPEGXFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,452, dated February19, 1901.

Application filed November '7, 1900. Serial No. 35,717. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. MGNEIL, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Villiamsburg, in the county of Iowa and State of Iowa, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Truss-Braces for Fences, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to longitudinal truss braces for fences; and theobject of the same is to produce a system of bracing for the corher-panels of wire fences which will be simple in construction andefficientin operation.

The novel construction designed by me by which this objectis attained isfully described in this specification and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 isa front elevation of a panel of fence with my improved system of bracingapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail of the notched or first brace. Fig.3 is a detail of the second brace.

Like numerals of reference designate like parts in the dilferent viewsof the drawings.

The section of fence shown in the drawings has two upright posts 1 and2. The numeral 1 designates the corner-post of the fence. A number ofhorizontal wires 3 are secured to these posts and form the regularfence. A cross-bar 4 is also added; but this may be omitted.

My system of bracing is applied to the structure above described andconsists of three pairs of diagonally-strung wires 5, 6, and 7, formingtwo systems, and two braces 8 and 9. The pair of wires 5 (the firstsystem) are strung from the top of the post 1 to the bottom of the post2. The pairs 6 and 7 (the second system) extend from the bottom of thepost 1 to points near the top of the post 2. The first brace 8 is headedin a notch 10, cut in theinner side of the top of the post 1, andextends down and is footed on the pair of wires 6 of the second system.To make a secure hearing, the brace Sis slotted at 12 and provided witha cross-pin 13. The pin 13 prevents the wires cutting into the wood, andthereby slacking the system. A series of notches 14 are formed in thetop of the brace 8, and thus provide bearings for the brace 9, which isfooted in one of them. The brace 9 extends up and is headed on the pair7 of wires at its upper end. has a crosspin 16 extending transverselythereof, which prevents the cutting of the wire into the brace and theconsequent slackening of the same, as before stated. In case the wiresdo become slack through the gradual yielding of the ground they may beeasily tightened by setting the foot of the brace 9 into another one ofthe notches-that is, one which is located a little higher up on thebrace S.

In putting in my system of braces the pairs of wires 5, 6, and '7 arestrung first, the pair 5 very tight and the pairs 6 and 7 a littleslack, especially 7. "The brace 8 is then headed in the notch 10 andfooted on the wire 6, after which the brace 9 is footed in one of thenotches 14 on 8 and headed on the wires 7. To secure stability, theangles that the brace makes with the pair of wires 7 must be equal,thereby making the brace the diagonal of a parallelogram of forces. Incase it is not possible to do this another one of the notches 14 shouldbe tried or the slack of the Wires altered. It will be obvious thatinstead of using pairs of wires I may use single or triple wires or anynumber.

I do not wish to be limited as to details of construction, as these maybe modified in many particulars without departing from the spirit of .myinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and wish tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A system of bracing for fences comprising the combination,substantially as described, with two posts, of a first wire strung froma point near the top of the first of said posts to a point near thebottom of the second of said posts, a pair of wires each member of whichis strung'from a point near the bottom of said first post to a pointnear the top of said second post, a first brace headed on said firstpost and footed on one ofthe wires of said pair, and a second bracefooted on said first brace and headed on the other wire of said pair.

2. A system of bracing for fences, comprising the combination,substantially as described, with two posts, of a pair of wires eachmember of which is strung from a point near the bottom of the first ofsaid posts to a This brace is slotted at 15 and point near the-top ofthe second of said posts, a first brace headed on said first post'andfooted on one of the wires of said pair, and a second brace footed onsaid first brace and headed on the other wire of said pair.

3. A system of bracing for fences, comprising the combination,substantially as described, with two posts, of a cross-bar connectingsaid posts, a pair of wires each member of which is strung from a pointnear the bottom of the first of said posts to a point near the top ofthe second of said posts, a

first brace headed on said first post and footed on one of the'wiresofsaid pair, and a second brace footed on said first brace and headed onthe other wire of said pair.

4. A system of bracing for fences comprising the combination,substantially as described, with two posts, of a pair of Wires eachmember of which is strung from a point near the bottom of the firstofsaid posts to a point near the top of the second of said posts, afirst brace having a series of adjustingnotches therein, headed on saidfirst post and footed on one of the wires of said pair, and a secondbrace footed in one of the said notches on said first brace and headedon the other wire of said pair.

5. A system of bracing for fences, comprising the combination,substantially as described, of two posts, a cross-bar connecting saidposts, a first Wire strung from a point near the top of the first ofsaid'posts to a point near the bottom of the second of said posts, apair of wires each member of which is strung from a point near thebottom of said first post to a point near the top of said second post, afirst brace headed on said first post and footed on one of the wires ofsaid pair, and a second brace footed on said first brace and headed onthe other Wire of said pair.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EDWARD F. MCNEIL.

Witnesses:

FRANK GAssIDY, A. B. YOUNG.

